Hong Kong Travelers Push On to Tokyo Despite Flooding as Narita Airport Chaos Deepens
RTHK · 4 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Heavy rainfall battered Japan's Kanto-Koshin region on Tuesday, leaving more than 7,000 travelers stranded overnight at Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture as ground transport ground to a halt. Flight disruptions have affected 28 Hong Kong-bound and departing services since Tuesday morning, with some Hong Kong visitors describing chaotic scenes and costly taxi rides to reach the airport. Despite the turmoil, some Hong Kong tourists pressed ahead with their journeys, saying they had already arranged leave from work.
Key Points
- As of 10 am Wednesday, 19 flights between Hong Kong International Airport and Narita Airport had been delayed on Tuesday, with another 9 delays recorded on Wednesday morning .
- Over 7,000 passengers were forced to sleep on the floor at Narita Airport after the deluge cut off all external transport links .
- A Hong Kong traveler who finally reached the airport after a four-hour Uber ordeal recounted missing his HK Express flight, estimating the cab fare alone could have covered a return ticket to Hong Kong .
- Another stranded visitor shared that a taxi ride to the airport cost 53,910 yen (approximately HK$2,655), calling it "an expensive lesson" .
- Cathay Pacific announced fee waivers for rebooking and rerouting on all Narita flights for tickets issued by August 14, with changes required by August 16 and travel completed by September 30 .
- Six deaths have been confirmed in Chiba Prefecture, with one person experiencing cardiac arrest during the flooding .
- Mr. Chen, traveling with his family of three to Tokyo, said he had already applied for leave from his employer and had no plans to change his itinerary, viewing any airport delay as part of the travel experience .
- Mrs. Liu, another Hong Kong traveler heading to Tokyo, said she remained undeterred after learning from online sources that rail services to the city center were expected to resume by afternoon .
Why It Matters
The incident exposes the fragility of even well-regarded infrastructure when extreme weather strikes, with stranded Hong Kong visitors documenting how Tokyo's famed efficiency unravels under pressure. For Hong Kong travelers, the episode underscores the importance of travel insurance and flexible booking policies when venturing to weather-prone destinations during the summer typhoon season .
The incident exposes the fragility of even well-regarded infrastructure when extreme weather strikes, with stranded Hong Kong visitors documenting how Tokyo's famed efficiency unravels under pressure. For Hong Kong travelers, the episode underscores the importance of travel insurance and flexible booking policies when venturing to weather-prone destinations during the summer typhoon season .